Method of making glass letters.



R. R. WiLEY & W. S. HOUGH, JR.

METHOD 0F MAKING GLASS LETTERS.

APPLICATION man AuG,1s.1913.

1,146,9l00 Patented July 20, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

E ORJZ. Wye-,y

INVENTORS,

WITNESSES (ff Q/ fm ATTORN EY -R. R. WILEY & W. S. HOUGH, JR.

METHOD 0F MAKING GLASS LETTERS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I6, I9I3.

Patented July 20, 1915.

`2 SHEETS-SHEET 2'.

v 7 A f INVENTORS,

ATTO R N EY ROY R. WILEY, F BUFFALO,

- K CATHERINES, ONTARIO,

New YORK, AND

WILLIAM S. HOUG-H, JR., OF ST. i CANADA.

METHOD OF MAKING GLASS LETTERS.

i T0 all whom t may concern I so b acters have long been employed forsigns of Be it known that we, ROY R. WILEY and lVILLnxM S. HoUGH, Jr.,citizens of `the United States, residing, respectively, at Buffalo andSt. Catherines, in the county of Erie an'd Province of Ontario,respectively, and State of'New York and Dominion of Canada,respectively, and useful Method of Making Glass Letters, of which thefollowing is a specification. his invention has reference toimprovements in the method of making glass letters and its object is toproduce glass letters especially adapted for signs intended to beilluminated at night from a source of light at the rear of the sign'andto be made brilliant in daylight by light reflected from the letters.

The present invention is adapted for the production of other signcharacters than letters, but for convenience of description thecharacters produced will be designated letters, with the understandingthat the term employed is to be interpreted broadly enough to includeany sign character whether it be a letter of the alphabet or a numeralor some other character imitative or fanciful.

Glass sign letters have been used for many years and relief letters ofglass have also een used for many years. Such sign char the type knownas illuminated signs where a light giving element or elements are placedbehind the letters for making the sign visible at night, but prior tothe present invention such signs had inherent defects which greatlymarred the artistic effect of the sign, and, moreover, the daylighteffect was elther` very poor, or where the attempt was madeto obtain adaylight effect such effect was only imperfectly obtained.

ln accordance with the present invention there is first provided a sheetof glass of substantially even thickness throughout and usually onesurface is formed into a great number of prisms having their angles suchthat light coming from the plane side of the glass will strike thesurfaces ofthe prisms and when the rays 'of light are at the properangles they will be almost totally reflected back through the plane sideof the glass, thus imparting to the eye of the beholder the impressionof brilliant illumination. When, however, there is a. source of light onone side of the glass sheet and the observer 1s on Specification ofLetters Patent.

have invented a new rammed July ao, i915.

Application led August 16, 19113. Serial No. 785,187.

the other side, such source of light is not seen as a localized source'of light, but the light is broken up by the many prisms and reaches theeye of the observer .from various directlonsgivmg the impression of anilluminationfrom a large lightarea. v Street signs are designed to beviewed from a considerable distance and,therefore, are made large, andin most instances are considerably elevated, so that under the ordinaryconditions of use different observers Will View the signs from differentangles4 and in most instances are below 'the level of the sign,wherefore the letter is made-in relief and when made from a sheet ofglass the strokes ofr the letters are hollow and of approximately eventhickness throughout, although rounded outwardly or towardthe observer.The result of this is that the light is transmitted at greatly in-lcreased angles with respect to the source of light, sol that an observerstanding almost in the plane ofthe letterywill still see the strokesbrilliantly illuminated as though the source of light was inside thestrokes, when as a matter of fact the source of light is located severalinches back of the letter.

Any structure of glass which will admit of the illuminating results maybe employed, the present invention having to do with the formation ofthe glass sheet into a hollow letter in relief, this being accomplishedin a manner to be described.

he invention will be best understood from a'consideration of thefollowing detailed description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, with thefurther understanding that the. structure employed may be variouslymodified and the procedure described may also be variously mo'dilied,'solong as such modifications mark no departure from the salient featuresof the invention.

In the drawings :-Figure l is a vertical section of a heating furnace,more orA less schematically illustrated, and showing on'e step of themethod. Fig. 2 is a similar viewl showing another step of the method.Fig. 3 form of glass sheet which appears before treatment. front view ofa glass sheet such as shown in Fig. after havmg been subjectedtotreatment 1n accordance with the method ofthe method, as such. Fig. 4is a.

present invention. Figs. 5 and 6 are views similai to Fig. 1, butshowing another manner of practising the invention. Fig. 7 is a viewshowing the application of the invention to smooth glass.

In the drawings thereJ is shown a furnace 1, the showing being more orless schematic andwithout attempt at showing any particular proportions,and this furnace is supplied with means indicated by the pipe 2 fordirecting a burning fuel into the furnace in a manner to produce yadesired degree of heat. o

In order yto carry out the method of the present invention there isprovided a plate 3 and another plate 4, and also a tool 5 having anextremity 6 bent at an angle to the length of the tool long to permit aWorkman to introduce it through an opening 7 inthe furnace,

through which opening the plates 8 and 4 are also introduced, theworkman being suiiin relief, and then against this pattern the ironplate is cast and this casting may be sufficiently smooth to permit itsuse Without expending any particular labor upon it.

' The plate 4 is a plain plate and is free from grooves.

In carrying out the process the plate 4 is 'introduced into the furnaceso as to be heated, and the plate 3 is also introduced into the furnaceso as to be heated. The plate of glass indicated at 9 is inserted inthefurnace for short intervals and withdrawn until-the plate isA of auniform temperature throughout and sufficiently heated so that it can beplaced on plate 3 without crackin. At the same time the sheet 9 is notsufficiently heated to spontaneously collapse and the operatorthereupon, While the plate 3 and sheet 9 are Within the furnace,manipulates the tool 5 in a manner to ca use the end 6 to press upon theglass sheet immediately over the grooves 8, the sheet at this timehaving the prismatic surface indicated at 10 uppermost. The lass sheetbeing in a softened condition yields to the pressure applied by the toolend 6 'and is forced into the grooves 8 until seated therein, but at notime does the glass becomesuii'ciently soft ,i to cause obliteration orattening of. the l prisms 10, although the glass'will yield to 'a forceapplied by the tool 5, the operator being able to follow the outlinesofthe letter accurately, and produce a sufficiently faithand this toolis suiiiciently ful copy'of the die. The Vforcing of the softened butstill quitefresistant glass into the grooves causes a partial distortionof the glass sheet 9 so that it -is no longer flat, but 1s more or lesswrinkled. This is remedied by the operator flattening the wrinkledportions from time to time 'with his tool,A The operator now withdrawsthe plate or die 3 with the 'treated glass sheet thereon and yat thesame time withdraws the plate 4 and' then by the use of a suitable toolthe formed glass sheet is lifted from the die 3 and reversed upon theplate 4, so that' the formed letter is now uppermost land the plate 4 isreintroduced into the furnace for a short time sufficient for theheating of the glass sheet. to cause it to flatten down upon the plate 4but without sensible effectV upon the relief portions agreeable'to the4grooves 8. The.

plate 4 is now again Withdrawn from the 'lol furnace and with the letterthereon is placed Ain .an annealing oven where it remains a sufficientlength of time, say twenty-fourl hours, more or less, when` itis readyfor use. The glass sheet with the"` letter in relief is'indicated at 9*?in Fig,1 4, the letter itself being shown at'll.

The prisms 'in the particularform shown in F ig. 4 are indicated at12'as arranged in groups 'Where the individual prisms of each groupradiatefrom a common center, and this arrangement has been successfullyem'- ployed in actual practice, givinga distribution of light inconnection with reflecting and toning-down means producing an evennessof illuminationby night that gives to the observer the impression thatback of the `letter is .a source of illumination as largev as the letteritself, it being understood that alltliat part of the glass sheet notoccupied by the letter is covered 4by opaque material', so that theletter alone is visible.

In the practice of the invention it isfal'l f matter of but a fewmoment-s time to "pro- `ducel the letter complete and ready for theannealing oven, and Without harmful dstor- .tionv of the prismaticsurfacewhether the letter be of the character indicated in Fig.

4 or of some other character, and the glass', L

,o in is in shape for being mounted in 'the` 4sign structure withoutfurther treatment,

sheet after having the letter produced therethose portions of the glassplate about the letter serving as means for fastening itinv 4 the signstructure.

vIn forcing the softened glass sheetinto the grooves delineating .theletterf'the tool 5v is moved in various directions as needed to'vk pressupon the glass to Vmake it conform "to`- 1 y y the grooves, and Whilecomparatively large4 portions of the glass sheet Where over thedistortion. and hence do not sensibly change lgroovesn 21nd therefore,-unsupported, will i' Yyield quite readilyl to the action offtlie tool 5,the-prismatic ridges are more resistant to l Y their shape under theaction the tool is blunt and of less l the point of the tool, this beingdue to the fact that the active end ofA extent than the Width'of thegroove, and hence may locally stretch or form the glassfor aconsiderable distancel from` the point of application of the tool bytransmission through the glass rather than the force being all expended,at of contact only, which latter effect would result in the markeddistortion, if not the obliteration of the prisms.

The heat employed is not sufficient or is not continued for a sufiicienttime to cause any material spontaneous flow of the glass, but only tosoften it so as to yield Without fracture to a force tending to causethe glass to conformto the grooves by progressive applications of theforce or pressure or an application of the pressure in such manner as topermit the glass to yield without disturbancev of any configuration ofthe glass. So far as the manner of causing the glass sheet to conform tothe grooves is concerned,

this might be applied to glass smooth onv both sides or with theprismatic surface on`Y that side which in -the finished letter is theoutside surface.

In the foregoing description reference has been had only to theformation of the sign characters in sunken molds. on the mold, however,may be in relief, so that the glass sheet is in the main forced downupon the body portionof the mold plate, but the sign character itself asformed in the glass sheet is in relief as before. The prisms, however,may be on the face of the plate remote from the forming or working tool,thus relieving them from the action of the tool. Still if it be sodesired the prismatic surface may kbe on the outside face of the glass,or the sign character ma be lformed of a glass sheet plain on bothfiices `A mold adapted I sign characters of glass prismatic on one face,butwith the prisms out of the path of the forming tool, is shown iniFigs. 5 and 6, where there is indicated a plate 3*l having raisedportions 8 defining the sign character and a glass sheet 9 having `aprismatic surface 10 when placed upon the plate 3a withv the raised signcharacter 8, and when appropriately softened heat may be Worked lby thetool 5 having an ang e end 6, While the mold plate and glass sheetareWithin the furnace l and maintained hot by the flame of. burning fuelissuing from the pipe 2.

In Fig. 5 the softened glass sheet is indicated as lying upon the plate3a and being mol'ded about the raisedportions or ribs 8u defining thesign character, While in Fig. 6

fthe completionl of the operation of molding the glass sheet isindicated. It will be noticed that theforming tool 5 does not come` incontact with the prismatic face of the glasssheet and so there is notendency to Vsign character or The charactersl to the formation ofrelief distort ythe prisms.' Still, this tendency is not marked, so thatit is possible to mold the sign character with the risms outermost,although usually it is preferred to have the prisms on the rear face ofthe sign character.

In-either form of mold there is a surface capable of sustaining theglass sheet and there are portions slinken below such surface and suchsunken portions are either in the form of a groove or groovesdelineating the they form the margins or borders of and so delineate thesign charr acter. It is into such sunken portions that the glass sheetis forced by an appropriate tool to produce a relief sign character, andin either case the sign character is produced by forcibly depressingparts of a glass sheet 1 prismatic face may be 'that presented outwardlyor inwardly in the finished sign character, the prismatic surface ispreferably the inner or rear face of the sign char` acter.

While the` prismatic glass gives highly' satisfactory results in theformation of relief sign characters, other types of glass free frolnprisms, or having substantially smooth surfaces and of a trunsluc'entnature, such as opal glass or `the like, `may be employed in thepractice iof the invention.

In'Fig. 7 there is shown a sheet 9b of smooth glass being subjected tothe action of the forming tool 5, whereby relief strokes of thecharacter are made. It will be understood of-coursethatthe structure ofFig. 5

lmay be employed instead of the particular ysheet to soften it whilemaintaining the temperature at a point less than that produclng fusionor surface flow of the glass. and while the glass sheet so softened issupported upon a die having a sustaining surface for the sheet and.portions sunken below such surface, whereby the die delineates a signcharacter, and also while the glass is maintained in such softenedcondition by the continued application of' the heat, applying pressureto the softened glass Where overlying the sunken portions of the diewith the pressure exerted in directions both longitudinally andlaterally of the lengths of the Character strokes so as to force thesoftened glass into the sunken portions of the die.

2. The method of producing relief glass sign characters for illuminatedsigns, which consists in providing a sheet of glass of substantiallyeven thickness throughout, placing such sheet upon-a die having asupporting surface for the glass sheet, and portions sunken below suchsurface whereby the die dclineates a sign character, heating the glasssheet to soften it and locally and progressively applying pressure tothe glass sheet both laterally and longitudinally of the sunken portionsuntil the glass sheet has been depressed into the sunken portionsthroughout the area defined thereby.

l3. The method of making glass letters, which consists in providing asheet of substantially even thickness throughout with one faceprisniatic, heating the glass sheet to soften it while lying upon a diewith the letter delineated by sunken portions and the glass sheet havingthe prismatic surface uppermost, and applying pressure to tlie-softenedglass sheet where overlying the sunken portions to force the glassthereinto,

the'heating being continued during the pressing operation. v f '4. Themethod of-forming glass letters which consists in providing a sheet ofglass of substantially even'thickness throughout, heating the glasssheet to a temperature regulated to cause .the glass to soften withoutspontaneously flowing, then while the v glass -sheet is supported upon adie with the character delineated therein by high and sunken portions,applying pressure to the glass where overlying the sunken portions tothere force the glass into such sunken portions and continuing thepressure progressively both laterally and longitudinally of j the sunkenportions until the glass has been forced to the bottom thereof, theninverting the glass sheet upon a fiat surface and submitting it as awhole to a softening temperature less than a ten'i'perature producingspontaneous flowing of the glass, whereby unevenness of those portionsof the glass sheet other than the character strokes, which unevenness isdue to the molding of the -sheet into the sunken portions, isobliterated.'

5. The method of producing glass characters for signs which consists inproviding a sheet of substantiallyv even thickness throughout,heatingthe glass sheet to a teinpeiature regulated to cause the glass to maticsurface uppermost upon a diehayin'g 1 4portions to there force the glassinto such sunken portions andcontinuing-the pressure progressively'-both laterally and longitudi- `character to be produced, and alsohaving,v

one surface covered withprisms, heatingthe glass sheet to. a temperatureregulated to cause the glass to soften Without spontaneously flowing,and While'. thev glass sheet isy supported upon a die having thecharacter delineated therein by high and sunken portions, and with theglass sheet'having'the prismatic surface uppermost, applying pressure tocircumscribedareas of the'prismatic -j? surface of the glassv Whereoverlying the sunken portions andshifting the point ofgf application ofpressure from place to place' both laterally and longitudinally of thesunken portions until the glass sheet where` overlying the sunkenportions has been forced to the bottom thereof. l

7. The method 4of producing glass charl acters, which consists inproviding afsiieet Y of glass of substantially equal thicknessthroughout and of greater area than the character to be produced andalso having Y one surface covered with prisms, heating the yglass sheetto a temperature regulated to cause the glass to soften withoutspontaneously flowing, and while the glass sheet is. supported upon adie having the character Qdelineated therein by high and sunken portions`and with the glass sheet having the prismatic surface uppermost,applying pres-y sure to circumscribed areas of the prismatic surface ofthe glass where overlying'the slinken portions and shifting the point ofapplication of pressure from place to'place both laterally andlongitudinally of the sunken portions until the glass sheet whereoverlying said sunken portions has been forced. to the bottom thereof,the softening temperature being maintained troughout the pressingoperation by the continued application of heat to the glass sheet.

48. The method of producing glass letters or character, which constistsin providing a sheet of glass of substantially even thicknessthroughoutwith one surface covered with prisms, and said glass sheetbeing of greater area than the letter to be produced,

heating the' glass sheet to a temperature to soften the sheet withoutcausing the glass to spontaneously flow, and, `while the softened 'glasssheet is supported with the prisl theV letten-'0r' characterdelineated;therein byhigh and sunkenportion's, applying presi-` L, y

-V`sure to circumseribed areas of the 'prismatic'v surface whereoverlying the sunken portions" isc over that portion of the glassoverlying said slinken portions until the glass sheet is there forced tothe bottom thereof, then removing' the glass sheet with the reliefletter or character formed therein from vthe die and inverting thesheet. Upon a plane plate, and heating the inverted glass'sheet to causethe spontaneous elimination of irregularities therein produced by themolding of the character.

9. The method of producing hollow glass letters in relief, whichconsists in placing a glass sheet upon 'a die in covering relation toslinken portions in one face of the die delineating the letter to beproduced, the margins of said letter including an area less p than thatof the glass sheet wheny the letthe slinken portions of the die ter inrelief has been produced therein, maintaining Ythe glass sheet while onthe die in a softened condition at a temperature less than that causingspontaneous flowing of the glass,` and while the glass sheet is sosoftened,` forcing those portions overlying thereinto by the pressure.applied locally and progressively to the said portions ot' the glasssheet overlying the sunken portions of the die, the area of appliedpressure being so much less than either the length or width of a sunkenportion as to require displacement of such area of pressure bothlaterally and longitudinally of the sunken portion to completely seatthe glass sheet therein.

l0. The. method ot' producing hollow glass letters in relief, whichconsists in placing a glass sheet of greater area than the letter to beproduced and having one face prismatic upon a die in covering relationto a sunken portion or portions produced in one face of the die anddeliueating the letter to be produced, maintainingr the glass sheetwhile on the die in a softened condition by the continued applicationot' heat at a telnperature less than that causing the spontaneous flowof the g ass. and forcing the softened glass into the groove or groovesof the die by pressure applied locally and progressively to the glassover said sunken portion by a tool having a single blunt active end withits terminal face ofl less extent than either the interior length orwidth of the sunken portion to pei-init movements of the tooll bothlaterally and longitudinally of said sunken portion.

ln testimony` that we claim the foregoing as our own. we have heretoailixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

ROY R. WILEY. WILLIAM h'. HOIGII, Ju. 1Witnesses A. R. Wnrrn, A. J.(roms.

